August 14, 2014

Ivory Coast imposes economic blockade on Ebola-hit Liberia

Liberia could be bracing for the worst before a glimmer of light shows up at the end of the tunnel. Already struggling to deal with the deadly Ebola outbreak, the post-war nation is poised for a major shortage of food, petroleum and basic necessities in the wake of a decision by the neighboring Ivory Coast to block access of ships using its space as a transshipment point due to the Ebola outbreak, FrontPageAfrica has learned.

The World Health Organization's latest tally of the dead reports1,013 deaths across four countries -- Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone. Sierra Leone reported the most confirmed and probable cases, 730, and the third-highest death toll, 315.

Health workers suspect that this figure may be far too low, given the number of confirmed Ebola cases in the country, 656. Both Liberia and Sierra Leone have declared a state of emergency in hopes of controlling the spread but with limited success.

August 12 Deadline Over

Now, Abidjan Port Authorities have reportedly issued an official circular to all Owners and Agents advising that beginning August 12, 2014, "NO VESSEL arriving from one of the contaminated countries is allowed to call in Abidjan until further notice.

They also recommend for other vessels that any illness occurring on-board with Ebola-like symptoms should immediately be reported, regardless of where that vessel is arriving from." Shipping associations have been advised that the Port of Abidjan in Ivory Coast has made a decision not to allow entry to any vessel that arrives from a country which is experiencing an outbreak of Ebola.

Furthermore, it is asked that any vessel which has an ill person on board, particularly if the symptoms are similar to those of Ebola, should report the same immediately to the Port Authorities, whether or not the vessel has come from a port in a country suffering an outbreak.

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Liberia could be bracing for the worst before a glimmer of light shows up at the end of the tunnel. Already struggling to deal with the deadly Ebola outbreak, the post-war nation is poised for a major shortage of food, petroleum and basic necessities in the wake of a decision by the neighboring Ivory Coast to block access of ships using its space as a transshipment point due to the Ebola outbreak, FrontPageAfrica has learned.

The World Health Organization's latest tally of the dead reports1,013 deaths across four countries -- Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone. Sierra Leone reported the most confirmed and probable cases, 730, and the third-highest death toll, 315.

Health workers suspect that this figure may be far too low, given the number of confirmed Ebola cases in the country, 656. Both Liberia and Sierra Leone have declared a state of emergency in hopes of controlling the spread but with limited success.

August 12 Deadline Over

Now, Abidjan Port Authorities have reportedly issued an official circular to all Owners and Agents advising that beginning August 12, 2014, "NO VESSEL arriving from one of the contaminated countries is allowed to call in Abidjan until further notice.

They also recommend for other vessels that any illness occurring on-board with Ebola-like symptoms should immediately be reported, regardless of where that vessel is arriving from." Shipping associations have been advised that the Port of Abidjan in Ivory Coast has made a decision not to allow entry to any vessel that arrives from a country which is experiencing an outbreak of Ebola.

Furthermore, it is asked that any vessel which has an ill person on board, particularly if the symptoms are similar to those of Ebola, should report the same immediately to the Port Authorities, whether or not the vessel has come from a port in a country suffering an outbreak.